BANGKOK, April 15 (TNA) - Thailand has agreed to help develop the quality of rice in Vietnam by working out a blueprint for a full-circle management system for Vietnam's rice production and sales, which will be used as a model to boost exports and prices of rice on the world market eventually, according to the Thai Ministry of Commerce.

Rather than viewing Vietnam as a major competitor, Thailand is choosing to work cooperatively with the leading nation in Indochina.

The cooperation followed a request by Vietnam's rice producers and exporters recently, Director-General of the ministry's Department of Foreign Trade Rachane Potjanasuntorn told journalists here on Friday.

"Thailand's management of rice trade--from harvests to local sales and shipments overseas--is recognized by Vietnam," he said.

Thai delegates comprising of senior officials and representatives of the private sector, led by Permanent Secretary for Commerce Karun Kittisataporn, will visit Vietnam in June to meet with their Vietnamese counterparts to discuss and work out the blueprint, which will detail the development of Vietnam's rice harvests, as well as warehouse, sale and shipment management systems and even solutions to rice trade.

"The blueprint will become a model for expanded cooperation among major rice exporters in the region, including Vietnam, Thailand, China, India and Pakistan," he noted.

"It will also help boost global trade of quality rice and stabilize rice prices on the world market eventually," he added.

The first cooperative project among the five major rice exporters is expected to be a joint shipment of quality rice to the Middle East--a world major rice importer--in the future, according to the department's chief.